Household refuse such as trash, recycling items, and/or yard waste can typically be deposited in a container. Such containers can include a lid for concealing the household refuse collected therein, as well as to prevent wild animals or people from accessing the household refuse and also protecting the trash from the elements. Typically, the lid is removably coupled to the container in a friction-fit manner to allow the lid to be easily removed from the container. However, when the lid is not secured, the contents can be undesirably expelled from the container, such as if the container is toppled over such as by wind or animals.
Various lid locking devices have been implemented for refuse containers. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0020436 to Matuschek discloses a lock that opens automatically by tipping of a refuse container as the result of gravity. In addition, the lock may also be opened by rotating a locking cylinder, the locking cylinder disposed in the lock housing. This lock, however, may also be opened when the refuse container falls forward accidentally, e.g. by wind or animals. Such accidental knock-over of the refuse container also expels its contents, which is undesirable.
Therefore a need exists for a locking device that improves upon prior locking devices.